Assessing the Availability and Nutritional Characterization of Browse Species as Camel Feed Resources in Borana Rangeland, Southern Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted in Moyale and Yabello districts, which is situated in Borana zone of the Oromia Regional State. The objectives of this study was to assess the availability of major browse species used for camel feed resources and to characterize its nutritional value/chemical composition. The study was conducted in four purposively selected kebeles focusing on 90 randomly selected camel-owning households. According to the perception of pastoralists/agro-pastoralists browses plants are the main sources of camel feed throughout of the year. Different browse plants such as trees, shrubs and forbs were collected and analyzed for chemical composition. According to the perception of pastoralists camel supplementation practise for the purpose of feed shortage and fattening. According to the perception of pastoralist 45% and 43% of camel feed resource decreasing in Moyale and Yabello district. According to the perception of pastoralists, the availability of feed resources varies across the dry and wet season. The highest feed resources during long dry season in Moyale and Yabello is tree leaves and forbs respectively. Bosciamossambicensi, Vechilla Seyal, Sarcostemmaviminale, Dalbergiamicrophylla, Vechilla etbaica, Grewia tembensis, Premnaschimperi, Phyllanthussepialis, Baleriaspinisepalo, Vechilla brevispica, Harmsiasidoides and Rhus natalensis were major browses plants collected and analyze their chemical composition. Results indicate that the dry matter content of this browses plants varies from 88.9 to 93.6.%. The highest dry matter content was recorded in Vechilla brevispica (95.6%) and the lowest in Harmsiasidoides (88.86) browses plants. Accordingly all the browses plants except Sarcostemmaviminale (5.71%), Vechilla brevispica (9.12%) and Vechilla seyal (8.8%) plants has good crude protein content among the collected and analyzed browses specie. Premnaschimper (25.6%), Rhus natalensis(19.99%) and Phyllanthussepialis(19.12%) has highest contents of the crude protein than browse plants analyzed. Premnaschimperi, Harmsiasidoides, Phyllanthussepialis and Dalbergiamicrophylla has high total invitro organic matter digestibility among the browses species compared to other browses speicies. Baleriaspinisepalo has the lowest total invitro organic matter digestibility as compared to the other browses specie. A range of 3.11 to 16.20% and 83.6 to 96.7% were recorded for Ash and Organic matter values for the twelve browse plants. Their fibre contents showed a range of 22.1 to 51.13, 19.9 to 44.9, 3.2 to 19.5.%, for NDF, ADF, ADL respectively. Baleriaspinisepalo has highest neutral detergent fiber(57.5%) and acid detergent fiber (52.5%) among other browses plants. Generally, according to the perception of community and the nutritive value(chemical composition) of this browses plants have potential for increase camel production but the productivity of browsing camels greatly depends upon accessibility of the browse and season. This study confirms that browses plants have potential for increased camel production but has shown that the magnitude of the contribution to the productivity browsers greatly depends upon accessibility of the browse. Keywords: Availability; Browses plant; camel; Chemical composition